The Outreach Committee of the Faculty of Agriculture organized a training on “Open House: Experience of Agricultural Higher Education, UoJ” with the sponsorship of JICA PRECIDA – UOJ, on Wednesday 30, 2024, at the main auditorium of the Faculty of Agriculture and JICA Research and Training Centre, Ariviyal Nagar, Kilinochchi from 8.30 am – 3.15 pm. The prime aim of this open house training is to create interests to higher education in agricultural science among the students who are studying Advanced Level Education in Biology and Biosystem Technology stream, and motivate the students to choose faculty of Agriculture, university of Jaffna for their bachelor degree program, and transfer the resources available in the high tec laboratory of the JICA Research and Training Complex of the FOA, UOJ. Around 170 students, teachers from the from the Kilinochchi, Mannar and Mullaitivu district were participated and benefitted.
The workshop started with the brief address on the objective and anticipated outcome of Open House: Experience of Agricultural Higher Education, UoJ delivered by the outreach committee chair and Dean of of the faculty of Agriculture Prof. K. Pakeerathan at 8.30 am. Then the participants were divided in six groups containing an average of 25-30 members. Each group were trained at six laboratories distributed among the five departments such as Department of Agronomy, Agricultural Biology, Animal Science, Soil Science Laboratory and Food Science Laboratories of the Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Agricultural Engineering as mentioned in the below schedule.
Activity: Open House Training: Experience of Agricultural Higher Education, UoJ”
Organizer: Outreach Committee, Faculty of Agriculture
Date: 30.10.2024 [Wednesday] Time: 8.30 am-15.15 pm
Venue: JICA Research and Training Complex Financial Support: JICA-PRECIDA
Program In-charge: Prof. K. Pakeerathan /OC-Chairperson
Program Agenda
| Time | Activity | Venue |
| 8.30-9.00am | Registration of Participants | Main Auditorium Faculty of Agriculture |
| 9.00-9.10am | Introduction to Open House Training: Experience of Agricultural Higher Education, UoJ” Prof.K.Pakeerathan/Dean and OC chairperson | |
| 9.10-9.20am | Grouping of Participants | |
| 9.20-9.40am | Walking to JICA-Research and Training Complex with refreshment | JICA-Research and Training Complex |
| 9.40am-10.30 | Practical experience: operation of equipment at the laboratory [groups will rotate every 45 minutes] Group 1 (AGR Laboratory) Group 2 (AGB Laboratory) Group 3 (ANS Laboratory) Group 4 (ACH Soil Laboratory) Group 5 (ACH Food Laboratory) Group 6 (AEN Laboratory) | |
| 10.40-11.30am | Group 1 (AGB Laboratory) Group 2 (ANS Laboratory) Group 3 (ACH Soil Laboratory) Group 4 (ACH Food Laboratory) Group 5 (AEN Laboratory) Group 6 (AGR Laboratory) | |
| 11.40-12.30pm | Group 1 (ANS Laboratory) Group 2 (ACH Soil Laboratory) Group 3 (ACH Food Laboratory) Group 4 (AEN Laboratory) Group 5 (AGR Laboratory) Group 6 (AGB Laboratory) | |
| 12.30-13.00pm | Lunch | JICA-Indoor |
| 13.10-14.00pm | Group 1 (ACH Soil Laboratory) Group 2 (ACH Food Laboratory) Group 3 (AEN Laboratory) Group 4 (AGR Laboratory) Group 5 (AGB Laboratory) Group 6 (ANS Laboratory) | JICA-Research and Training Complex |
| 14.10-15.00pm | Group 1 (ACH Food Laboratory) Group 2 (AEN Laboratory) Group 3 (AGR Laboratory) Group 4 (AGB Laboratory) Group 5 (ANS Laboratory) Group 6 (ACH Soil Laboratory) | |
| 15.10-16.00pm | Group 1 (AEN Laboratory) Group 2 (AGR Laboratory) Group 3 (AGB Laboratory) Group 4 (ANS Laboratory) Group 5 (ACH Soil Laboratory) Group 6 (ACH Food Laboratory) | |
| 16.00-16.15pm | Closing Remarks and recording feedback |
Facilitators and Guiders for Group Movement:
- Group 1: Agronomy special student: Miss.K. Saththiyavahini
- Group 2: Agricultural Biology Special Student: Mr.Sukirthan
- Group 3: Animal Science Special Student: Mr.R.Theebakaran
- Group 4: Agricultural Chemistry soil special Student: Miss. M. Aswini
- Group 5: Agricultural Chemistry food special Student: Mr.P.Jemika
- Group 6: Agricultural Engineering Special Student: Mr. N. Mayuresh
Laboratory training schedule
In-charge Laboratory Training: Respective department’s HOD
Coordination: Respective department OC members
| Laboratory and Instruments to be trained | Training Team |
| AGR Laboratory Plant propagatorIncubatorClinometerLeaf area meterSPAD meter/Chlorophyll meter Seed moisture meter /crop moisture analyzer | Mrs.K.NishanthanProf.Mrs.S. SivachandiranDr.Mrs.L.PradheebanMr.N.Venukopan, Mr.S.SenthooranFinal Year Students and Demonstrators |
| AGB Laboratory Stereo Microscope Hot air oven Dissection Kit Set Centrifuge (Refrigerated) Autoclave Tissue culture set up Biosafety Cabinet | Prof G.ThirukkumaranDr.S.TerensonMr.ArthikanMr.SajithFinal Year Students and Demonstrators |
| ANS Laboratory Processing Training building 1. Milk Processing Unit 2. Cheese Presser 3. Meat mincer and Bowl Chopper | Dr. S. Thatchaneshkanth Miss. V. KalaivizhiMiss. N. NilaxshikaFinal Year Students and Demonstrators |
| ACH Soil Laboratory Specific gravity bottleCore samplerMunsell colour chartMuffle furnaceAnalytical balanceLiquid limit deviceKjeldhal Distillation unitSpectro photometerFlame photometerSoil texture analysis (Single sieve and multiple sieve) | Mrs.Abhiramy KirisanMrs.Kasthrui KajeevanMs.S.ThadchadiniMs.AnjaliMs.HansikaFinal Year Students and Demonstrators |
| ACH Food Laboratory Cabinet dryerFreeze dryerVacuum packagingNormal packagingRotary evaporatorTSS, brix, and pH meterBomb calorie meterFiber extractorFat analyzerTexture analyzer | Prof. S. VasantharubaDr. S. SivakanthanDr. R. SarathadeviMr. Mohamed Ashur Mohamed SharafFinal Year Students and Demonstrators |
| AEN Laboratory Cutaway models of basic engine systems Lathe machine Spectrophotometer Aerated soaking systems Four-wheel tractor Two-wheel tractor Sprayers (power and knapsack) Automated irrigation system | Dr.N.Kannan Miss.J.Yanushiya Miss.S.Loveciya Miss.S.Hasanika Mr.N.Thaneshwaran Mr.S.Yalin |
Contact: Prof.K.Pakeerathan/OC-Chair: 0776969511
At last, outreach committee recorded feedback from participants. The highlighted feed backs are
- They could be seen and learned high tech instruments
- Laboratory motivated them to study in this university in future
- Cut models were amazing as a biosystem students I enjoyed training
- Tissue culture unit, food laboratory was useful to learn new techniques
- I learned the methods of making sausage and milk processing instruments and techniques
The training ended at 3.15 pm
